♥!The Young Adult Book Club!♥ discussion

If I Stay


Summary:

In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...
A sophisticated, layered, and heartachingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make—and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

Discussion Leader: Heather

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I have read the first book and it was amazing. I cried so many times. I will be reading the 2nd one soon. :)

Beckie wrote: "I have read the first book and it was amazing. I cried so many times. I will be reading the 2nd one soon. :)"

I really enjoyed the first one too, but LOVED the second:)

Marie wrote: "I haven't read the second one yet, but I LOVED the first. :)"

Believe me, you will love the second one too!

i only read the first one, but it was AMAZING. im really hoping to get the second one soon.

read it awhile ago and liked it but I thought the middle kind of dragged! I do like the main characters though and the setting seems perfect for the tone of the story

I can't wait to read

I have to buy online though because no stores have it, they only have

But i cant wait to get into them, all the reviews i have seen are good!

I really liked the first book, the secind one was even better

I read both of these a while ago. I guess I'm in the minority so far though . . . I loved the first (and, yes, I cried) and enjoyed the second. But the second seemed to lack something compelling; can't put my finger on it but it seemed like a nice "wrap up" to the first, but the depth of emotion wasn't as strong.

To be honest, I didn't really like If I Stay. I enjoyed Where She Went more :-)

Melissa wrote: "I read both of these a while ago. I guess I'm in the minority so far though . . . I loved the first (and, yes, I cried) and enjoyed the second. But the second seemed to lack something compelling;..."


Your right, it was more of just a love story

Hi Lauren,

Exactly . . . it was a good love story and I enjoyed it but it was missing the elements that made the first so special.

Oops. I commented to the wrong link! My apologies - I meant to address my reply to NightlyReadingHeather! Sorry.

I understand, it didn't have that angst of the life and death situation

I'm reading If I Stay right now, and it is such a beautiful novel. It really makes me think, and it's completely touching! It's quite sad, though, too... I'm on page 170 out of 196, can't wait till the end!

NightlyReading Heather wrote: "I understand, it didn't have that angst of the life and death situation"

Exactly. Did anyone else actually root for her "to go?"

I loved If I Stay! I finished it in one day.

I loved If I Stay especially her boyfriend and just the amount of love her family has for her and it just is a amazing thing to think about. I mean what would you do if you had the choice?

♫♫☺Allie☺♫♫ wrote: "I loved If I Stay! I finished it in one day."

Me too!!! and I had never cried so much with a book.
Definitely one of my Favorites!

Melissa wrote: "NightlyReading Heather wrote: "I understand, it didn't have that angst of the life and death situation"

Exactly. Did anyone else actually root for her "to go?""

I did not "root" for her to go, but I would have understood if she did!

NightlyReading Heather wrote: "Melissa wrote: "NightlyReading Heather wrote: "I understand, it didn't have that angst of the life and death situation"

Exactly. Did anyone else actually root for her "to go?""

I did not "ro..."

exactly! maybe "root" was too strong a word, but i did feel that it would have been easier for her.

Sarah wrote: "I loved If I Stay especially her boyfriend and just the amount of love her family has for her and it just is a amazing thing to think about. I mean what would you do if you had the choice?"

I think that while you do see that love that her family has for her, that it is about so much more then just her parents. In the afterword, Ms. Forman says that she thinks it shows how much parents can change their children's life. But I didn't it as just about them, what I took from it was what Kim told Mia while sitting with her...She still had family-that Kim, Adam, Willow, and the rest were family and she still had them even though her immediate family was torn from her. To me it was more about the power of community: the community that went to Keith's funeral and seemed to know him better then his family; that Brooke, who just met Adam that day, would come and try to help him get in to see Mia; even some of the nurses-that if you reach out and touch people, these communities you form can really help people in times of need and become the family that we all need in times of trouble.

well said Christopher!

I guess I'm in the minority - I LOVED the first one, but did not much care for the second. If I Stay was so full of emotion - I was crying through the whole thing! But Where She Went was just very "blah" to me. It seemed like Foreman only wrote it to please her readers who wanted to know what happened next, but she didn't seem very emotionally attached to it, if you know what I mean. It was ok, but just a big letdown to me after the first book.

I also loved the first one, I think because I was struggling through the same choice she was. The second one reminded me a lot of the Before Sunrise/After Sunset movies.

I just loved the first one, but the second was totally the best book, and the little lyrics 2 Adam`s song was just the sprinkles on a ice cream!

Rose wrote: "I just loved the first one, but the second was totally the best book, and the little lyrics 2 Adam`s song was just the sprinkles on a ice cream!"

YES! I forgot to mention the lyrics! I loved those and they really gave insight into Adam's perspective and pain of the break up!

Both books were amazing! :) I read them both last month.

I loved both of the books!!!!! I could connect with the characters. I actually felt what they were feeling.

Kristina wrote: "I loved both of the books!!!!! I could connect with the characters. I actually felt what they were feeling."

I know, I think thats one of the main reason I love these books. You feel like you are right there with the characters.

First when I started reading the book I was so shocked when the accident happened! That's because I didn't read any reviews. And through the whole book I was waiting till the story to begin. I was so shocked when I finished the book, I don't usually read books without plots or event or sth to be excited about.I don't know it seemed to me like a Romance book and I don't enjoy them much.

However, I don't really regret reading it, because I don't read much of this type so it was a good change. And I liked the author's style.

And I felt sad for Mia and for what happened to her, but she was lucky to have the rest of her family, although losing your parents and brother is a very huge pain.

http://thaliasbooks.tumblr.com/post/8...

That just about summarizes what I thought about it.

I hated this book. I couldn't stand the writing or any of the characters and the plot never started. Just...EURGH.

though it made me cry. just a teardrop.. but my heart aches after i read it.

I started this book but it kind of freaked me out so I put it down. I don't really plan to finish it.

I have the book...Should I read it?

I almost cried but it was the second book that really made me cry! Very emotional!

Jennifer wrote: "I almost cried but it was the second book that really made me cry! Very emotional!"

I'm the opposite, the first one I was crying like a baby. Especially what Adam said at the end but the 2nd one not some much as a sniffle but Where She Went is still a really good book though. I think If I Stay is better though

Whenever I see this book talked about, there is always speak of tears. Sad books are generally books I have to force myself into reading. I mean, they're normally incredibly well written, as was the case with If I Stay, but I put off reading it for a good long time. Although it was very moving and emotional, there were no tears on my part. I have Where She Went in my big pile of library books right now and hopefully I'll get out of my reading slump before it's due.

Just finished this book...so many emotions

I read If I Stay and Where She Went a few years ago and I loved both of them! I liked If I Stay a littler better than the second one, but Where She Went is good too.
Something about Gayle Forman's writing, I'll finish her books in like six hours a piece. They're beautiful and brilliant.
I cried so much during If I Stay. It made me question life and death, and what I would do if I was in Mia's position.
It's amazing and everyone should read it!